Half Life 2: Beginning Limits
by Kiefer I
Summary: Sure, we know that Gordon went through Ravenholm and drove across the beach to get to Nova Prospect, but what was Alyx doing during this time? Rated T for violence. *Spoilers*
1. Chapter 1

_This story is going to be somewhat long. It takes place during the Combine attack on Black Mesa East. Alyx and Gordon had just escaped from the scrap yard and are on their way to find Eli Vance somewhere within the base. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Half Life!_

**Half Life 2: Beginning Limits **

Alyx Vance sprinted down the long concrete hall, her footsteps echoing through the passageway. Somewhere behind her, Gordon Freeman was trying to catch-up, followed by Alyx's faithful robot companion, D0g. She wasn't worried about her friendly pursuers. She was worried about her father.

"Come on!" Alyx waved to Gordon, trying to urge him to speed up the pace.

The Combine had initiated a surprise attack on Black Mesa East, one of the few rebel bases located on the outskirts of City 17. The attack took Alyx by surprised and sent her in a frenzy to find her dad, Eli Vance. Now, she was sprinting through the underground hallways, searching for Eli.

Through the concrete ceiling, she could hear muffled explosions rumbling throughout the base. This beckoned her to run faster. She turned into a smaller, darker hallway; the last one she would have to pass to get to Eli's lab. The door came into view and Alyx breathed a small praise. Ten feet away from the door . . . . and a close explosion rocked the ceiling above. Alyx let out a small scream as she dove to the ground. Massive rocks and rubble fell from overhead, filling the hall behind her. After a few seconds of vibration, the rocks stopped falling. Alyx slowly moved her arms away from her head, assessing the damage. The hallway she had just passed through was now filled with boulders . . . trapping Gordon and D0g on the other side.

"Oh, no!"

She rose from the floor, trying to find a hole within the pile of rocks. She found a small opening and peeked her head in, finding Gordon and D0g safe on the other side. Before Alyx could speak, the dark radio chatter from Combine soldiers began to emit from behind a door own the hall on her side of the rubble. To her relief, friendly Vortigaunt forces entered the hallway by an opposite door. Alyx turned to Gordon.

"Gordon, you need to get out of here!" She commanded. The door at the end of her hallway exploded, allowing Overwatch soldiers to pile into the cramped space. She pushed herself closer to the rocks, enabling some cover. The Vortigaunts next to her fired bolts of energy at the advancing enemy.

"I can't leave my father!" She called out, pleading with her eyes. Gordon nodded, understanding her priority. Alyx directed her attention to D0g.

"D0g! Take Gordon to the Ravenholm tunnel, then circle around and try to meet up with me. Hurry!"

D0g was hesitant at first, but reluctantly lumbered back down the tunnel they had came from. Gordon sent a small worried glance at Alyx before following the robot. She gave a small sigh, pulling out her custom-made pistol from her leather jacket.

---

Alyx waited until a slight pause in gunfire came to pass. Her moment came and she took it, swiftly crossing the hallway without a scratch. In her wake, a lone Vortigaunt followed her into the lab. She franticly searched the large room, trying to find her father. But to her dismay, the room was empty.

"Where's my dad?!" Alyx turned to the alien, almost demanding an answer. The Vortigaunt pointed to an opposite door.

"The Eli Vance has ascended upwards towards the surface. We must hurry to catch up with him."

Alyx didn't argue. She pushed the two large, red doors open and started jogging up a flight of stairs, jumping each step two at a time. The Vort kept pace with it's human companion.

---

As she burst from the stairwell door, Alyx kept her gun to the ready. She looked down the large corridor, making sure the area was clear. No enemy forces could be seen. The Vortigaunt walked out into the hall as well, looking down both ways.

"He is this way." His claw pointed towards the left, down a winding passageway. Alyx nodded and ran, keeping her pistol at the ready. The low thump of gunfire was now reverberating all over the base. Alyx knew that the Combine would find her sooner or later. She also felt sorry for the soldiers who would be between herself and her father.

---

After jogging for a few minutes, the young woman and her Vortigaunt found themselves approaching a concrete crossway. Four corridors met at this one point. Alyx looked at her companion, who pointed towards the hallway to their left. She turned the corner, only to be met by five alarmed Combine soldiers. Alyx gave out a small gasp, skidding to a stop. The Overwatch leveled their pulse rifles directly at her, each one delighted to have such an easy target.

Alyx felt a hand grab her coat and tug her back to safety of the corner. A split second later and a hail of pulse rifle fire slammed into the floor where Alyx had just been. She turned to the Vort and smiled her thanks. After a few moments of bullets pinging off of their hiding place, Alyx slightly peeked around the corner, spotting the five soldiers. They were guarding a door leading towards the outside.

She was about to return fire when a familiar voice rang out.

"Alyx!"

Her heart stopped. A group of Combine soldiers appeared from a hallway near the guards. In their midst, Eli was being pulled towards the door.

"Dad!" Alyx called. She then turned the corner and fired on the Combine, killing two guards before emptying her clip. The guards returned fire. Alyx reloaded behind the comfort of their corner, while the Vortigaunt sent a bolt of green lighting towards the enemy, dropping three more soldiers. As she slammed a clip into her pistol, something clicked in her mind: The door that they were pulling her Dad through lead towards the helipad.

"Oh, God no." She turned around the corner just in time to see her father being pulled behind the door.

"Dad! No!"

Eli's eyes locked with his daughter's.

"Alyx!"

The bulkhead door closed, trapping Eli behind it.

"No!"

In a panic, Alyx started to run down the hall, towards the door. The Vort grabbed her arm, pulling her back. She was about to protest when ten Combine soldiers appeared from nowhere, cutting her off from her dad. Ten guns fired upon Alyx.

---

_This chapter is a bit short. I'm gonna make the next ones longer, I just wanted to leave this one with a cliff hanger. (darn you, Kiefer) _


	2. Chapter 2

---

Alyx eyes widened in terror. The ten Combine soldiers, just a few feet away, leveled their rifles towards her. All she could do was close her eyes and anticipate the inevitable.

Suddenly, a loud rumble sounded from behind the soldiers, growing with each second. From around a corner, D0g rushed the enemy group, infuriated by their presence. Alyx almost squealed for joy.

D0g disarmed two soldiers by sweeping his mechanical arm in a wide arc, slamming bodies into the walls. In a panic, the remaining Overwatch turned to fire upon the behemoth, their pulse rounds surprisingly bouncing off of D0g's specialized armor shell. The robot slammed his clenched fists into two more guards, throwing the others off balance by the sheer impact into the floor. D0g easily dispatched the final Combine with deadly blows.

Once the carnage was over, Alyx rose to her feet and sprinted towards her robotic companion. She jumped into his carapace and wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to keep the tears from forming in her eyes.

"Thank you, D0g." She whispered. D0g seemed to simply nod in reply. Just then, Alyx remembered her father.

"Dad!" She called out, running towards the large metal bulkhead Eli had just been taken through. She punched in the code to open the door, but the Combine had quickly sealed the bulkhead shut during the ensuing battle. Alyx knew he was long gone from the base by now. Fresh, warm tears started to stream down her face. After a few seconds, she remembered the base was about to be overrun. She turned back to her two companions: D0g and the accompanied Vortigaunt.

"We need to find a way out of here." She said, wiping the wetness from her eyes. "After that, we'll find a way to get Dad."

The Vort grumbled, motioning to D0g. "I must leave to assist my kin. Would you feel fine in the company of your," He paused, glancing at the large robot. " . . . pet?"

Alyx nodded. The Vortigaunt gave his "goodbye" before running back down the hall. Alyx and D0g progressed forward, hoping to find a way out of the underground rebel base, now full of Combine soldiers.

---

After a few minutes of running, Alyx stopped, motioning D0g to do the same. They had come to another corner. She quickly peeked around the bend, praying not to spot any Combine. What she did see caused her to take a sharp breath. At the end of the elevated hall was a wounded Vortigaunt, propped against the far wall. In haste, Alyx quickly moved towards the alien, careful not to get spotted by any sneaky enemies. As she drew closer, the extent of the creature's wounds came into view. Alyx brought her hand to her mouth in shock.

Numerous gashes lined the creature's torso, causing yellow blood to pour out profusely. Small streams of the fluid slowly found their way out of his mouth and eyes, cascading down it's face. The Vort rose it head towards Alyx, who knelt beside her wounded ally.

"The Alyx . . .Vance." He coughed out the words, causing more blood to pour out of the mouth.

"Don't speak." Alyx ordered, succumbing to panic. She had no idea what to do. By the extent of the wounds, she knew he was going to die.

"You must. . escape." He said, ignoring Alyx's earlier demand. One of his claws lifted up, pointing towards a vent. "Move through . . the vents. You will find a way . . . out. Head for . . . Unter."

Alyx nodded, trying to please the Vortigaunt. "Okay. But we are going to bring you . . ." Before she could finish, the alien slumped over, letting out it's last breath. Alyx sat in shock for a moment before closing her eyes. She gently rested his hand on the ground before rising to her feet. Behind her, D0g let out some whines.

A few seconds past before Alyx moved again. She stood in front of the vent that the Vort had pointed out. After pulling the grate out of it's socket, her eyes fell on D0g.

"Okay, Boy. I need you to go find Dr. Kliener in City 17. You need to protect him, okay?" D0g shook his head, disagreeing with the plan wholeheartedly. Alyx smiled as she grasped the flaps surrounding D0gs head, bringing her face close to his.

"Please, D0g. Kliener needs you. I'll be fine."

D0g seemed to ponder for a second before slowly wrapping his arms around Alyx, cradling her close. Then, as suddenly as he had come, D0g ran down the hall, disappearing around the corner. A small sigh escaped from Alyx's lips. She turned towards the vent, peering down the long, dark crawlspace.

---

After a few minutes of crawling, Alyx discovered something: she hated vents. They were dusty, cramped and humid. It didn't help that sounds of small explosions and gunfire reverberated through the space, causing ear-shattering echos. She decided to suck it up and keep going forward, pushing herself to move faster. Her father needed her, and she was going to move as quickly as possible.

As she moved around one corner, Alyx breathed a sigh of relief. She could feel a breeze caress her cheeks, indicating she was close to an exit. Sure enough, past a small grate at the far end of the small tunnel, she could see trees. She moved closer, peering outside. It was nighttime, but the full moon illuminated the entire grassy area. About thirty feet away from the vent was the forest, the perfect place for cover.

She slowly pushed the grate out, trying not to attract unnecessary attention. She then jumped to the ground, landing in the soft grass. The soft hum of Combine dropships and gunships emitted from the sky, causing Alyx to hug the ground. Two gunships slowly passed over her, waving their spotlights over the base. After a few seconds of hiding, Alyx crawled towards the forest.

Suddenly, a large explosion shook the ground. Alyx turned, just in time to watch a part of the small Black Mesa East to be obliterated to rubble. To her horror, about ten Striders surrounded the base, each one picking the facility apart with horrifying accuracy. Above all the chaos, squadrons of dropships and gunships hovered over the base, illuminating everything with spotlights.

A small rumble started to grow closer to where Alyx was lying in the grass. Out from the trees, a lone Strider walked from the forest, slowly passing over the frightened Alyx, ready to join it's kin in the fray. In a panic, she jogged towards the trees, finding refuge within the dark woods. She ran deeper into the brush, the sounds of explosions and screams slowly trailing off. She ran until her feet couldn't run anymore. The earlier adrenaline was starting to wear off, causing major fatigue to surface. Alyx collapsed onto the leafy floor, her breathing becoming deep and fast. As she lay there, the emotions came full force.

After crying for a few minutes, Alyx fell into a restless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

---

The beams of sunlight shining through the treetops found their way onto Alyx face. She awoke, squinting at the bright light. It had been a long night, sleeping on the ground and she was soar. She stood up, stretching her arms and legs. After yawning, she remembered Black Mesa East.

'Should I go back?' She wondered. There could have been survivors. She quickly banished the idea, knowing how efficient the Combine were at clearing rebel bases. If Alyx traveled back, she would find a large pile of rubble to replace the base. She decided to press towards Unter, where she could lay out a plan with the rebels there.

Unter was located near a large rock quarry, owned by Combine diggers. The base itself was small, compared to Black Mesa East, Green Base and White Forest, but it held the majority of rebel vehicle support in the area. It was also home to Scott Greenwall, a legendary rebel commander and leader of the forces at Unter. Alyx was not particularly excited about seeing him again.

Before walking farther into the woods, she quickly checked her pistol, making sure it was fully loaded. She wanted to be ready, just in case the Combine patrolled these woods. Her first goal was to reach 'Road 67', which would lead strait into Unter. The road itself was not far from her current position and she knew she could reach it in less than fifteen minutes. She just prayed that no enemy forces were between her and the road.

---

'Road 67' came within her view after a few minutes of walking. She was thankful to find the road without any resistance, but knew that she had to be cautious. Combine APCs frequently used the road for troop transport, so she kept to the woods surrounding the asphalt strip.

---

It took her a few hours to reach Unter, seeing she had to dive into hiding a few times from passing enemy APCs. The base itself looked like a large, broken down radar antenna sitting atop a tall hill. Alyx couldn't guess why the Combine never tried to investigate the tower. Still, for almost a year now, the enemy forces did not find it important to check the radar building for rebel forces. Their loss.

As Alyx approached, she spotted the large rock quarry about a mile or two off in the distance. The massive hole in the ground was surrounded by huge Combine digging equipment, drilling deeper towards the Earth's crust. The Combine had established holes like these across the world, hoping to suck up all of it's resources.

Something near the quarry caught Alyx's eye. She quickly pulled out a small scope from her utility belt, peering through the small glass tube. Sure enough, to Alyx's amazement, a small train station sat next to the quarry, still active. This caused the wheels to start turning in Alyx's brain.

Before she could devise a plan, Alyx could hear somebody clear their throat behind her. She turned, only to find a lone rebel, obviously keeping lookout for the base.

"I need to speak with Scott." Alyx stated plainly.

---

The rebel lead Alyx deep into the base, stopping only to let rushing soldiers pass. The whole base was in a hurry to pack up and leave. They had heard about Black Mesa East and knew the Combine would attack Unter soon. Heavily armed soldiers were in a hurry to pack up their gear, while the paper pushers quickly tried to burn secret documents and maps.

Alyx and the attending rebel stopped nest to a bulkhead door, which lead towards the tower's command center. They both entered. To Alyx's surprise, this room was in a panic. Commanders were screaming over their radios, trying to push the troops to pack up faster. Fire's were made in trashcans and were used to burn key documents. In midst of the chaos, Scott Greenwall stood in the center of the room, sipping coffee from a mug. His eyes fell on Alyx. She could see shock in his eyes as he rested the mug onto a table. He walked closer, trying to force a smile. Alyx couldn't blame him.

"Hello, Alyx." He greeted, trying to keep his voice calm. "I'm relieve you escaped Black Mesa East." Scott's eyes searched behind Alyx, expecting more people to arrive. "Are you alone?"

Scott watched, as her eyes seemed to glaze over. "They captured him.", she whispered.

Scott simply nodded. "We know."

Alyx stood dumbfounded, shocked at the news. "You knew? How?"

"A group of Vortigaunts managed to spot and track the ship that took your father." His eyes fell to the floor. "Alyx, They've taken Eli to Nova Prospekt."

Alyx felt as if her heart had just exploded. Nova Prospekt was a maximum-security prison taken over by the Combine. What used to hold convicts and murderers was now home to something much more worse.

Scott could see the blank look on Alyx's face. His hand rested on her shoulder.

"Here, lets talk in my office."

---

Scott's office was small, cramped and dimmly lit. It only held a desk, which was covered in maps and documents, and two chairs, occupied by Scott and Alyx. She sat in silence for a second before looking across at her host.

"We need to get him out of there." She stated, keeping her voice calm.

She waited for a response from Scott, but none came. He just sat in silence, his lips pursed together.

"Did you hear me?" Alyx inquired.

Scott slowly nodded, letting out a breath. "And how are we supposed to do that?"

The sarcasm in his voice caught Alyx off balance. Of course, he had always been a some-what cynical man, but, in her time of need, she though he would have 'manned it up' just once.

"There is a train station near the quarry. If we can just . . ."

Scott scoffed, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Alyx, I am evacuating Unter and am moving away from City 17. The Combine will be down my throat any minute. Now, why, in God's name, would I want to attack a Combine drilling area?"

Alyx tried to keep the fury from choking up her words. "I need to get Dad. This is the only way we can rescue him."

Scott continued, ignoring the last comment. "And then you want to attack Nova Prospekt! The impenetrable Combine prison! How is that going to work?"

Alyx sat in silence, trying to keep her emotions from surfacing. Scott came closer to her chair, leaning against the desk and folding his arms.

"We need to start thinking about survival now." He explained, his voice a little softer. "Eli is captured. From the enemy communications we have discovered Judith has been apprehended as well. Shoot, we don't even know what happened to Gordon Freeman."

Alyx's eyes widened. She had forgotten about Gordon. She remembered sending the hero to Ravenholm. She felt heartbroken for her new friend, knowing he would be dead by now. Even the most battle-hardened group of soldiers couldn't pass through that town alive, much less a lone scientist.

"Alyx," Scott called out, pulling her back to reality. "The answer is no. I'm not going to risk my neck and the neck's of my men just to help one man."

Alyx felt the sudden urge to punch Scott in the crotch, but restrained herself. Instead, she stood up and glared at the man.

"Just give me the bike."

Scott shook his head. "No, Alyx. You're not going anywhere near . . ."

"See, this is the reason why I broke up with you." Alyx suddenly said, her voice calm. "No balls at all. For once, I need you to man-it-up and help me! Can you do that?!"

To Alyx amusement, Scott's face turned to shock. She continued.

"Just give me my bike and I'll leave. I am going to get my father out of there, with or without your help."

Scott's mouth hung open like a cod-fish breathing at the open air. He slowly composed himself, his brow curling in anger. Alyx expected a fury of comments from Scott, but was surprised by his next response. He walked back behind the desk and pushed the radio.

"Harold. Get the bike ready. Alyx Vance will be down there shortly."

Alyx simply nodded her thanks before exiting the room, still fuming over Scott's behavior. Before she could walk down the hall, somebody called her name.

"Alyx! Gordon Freeman is on the radio! He has just escaped from Ravenholm!"

---

_Yes. More cliffhangers. For those of you who remember, I made a reference of Scott from the 16__th__ chapter in HL2: Confessions. Just a neat little tid-bit. (well, neat to me. I can't really speak for you guys) :D More is on the way!_


	4. Chapter 4

---

Alyx followed the rebel into the communications room, almost not believing the news. Sure enough, on the main screen, she could spot Gordon's face past the harsh static. For reasons unknown, she felt her heart jump seeing him again. She gave out a sigh of relief.

"Gordon, you made it through Ravenholm, Thank God."

His eyes spotted Alyx and, to her delight, a big grin spread across his face. He was happy to see her. Alyx couldn't dwell on the moment though. Her face became serious.

"I need your help. They've taken my father!"

Gordon's smile turned upside-down. Worry stricken, he became all ears to what she had to say.

"He's been taken to Nova Prospekt. The Vortigaunts tracked the ship that made off with him and Judith Mossman." She decided to lay out the battle plan. "While the trains are still running, I'm going to hitch a ride. Here's where you come in, Gordon. I need you to make your way along the coast until you get to Nova Prospekt. It used to be a high security prison. It's something much worse than that now. But I still think its easier to sneak in than to break out."

Without question, Gordon nodded his head, holding on to every word. Alyx was impressed. "At least somebody around here has some courage to stand up and help." She thought to herself.

Leon, the rebel standing next to Gordon, almost looked perplexed. "You want him to take the Coast Road? He won't last five minutes on foot. It's spawning season for the antlions!"

Alyx knew this, but quickly found the solution. She knew about the buggy Leon owned. "That's why I need your help, Leon. I'm hoping you still have the scout car we left with you last summer. The one my Dad rigged with the Tau cannon?"

Leon's face softened a little bit. "Yeah, good idea. Hold on a sec." Leon bent down to a radio, out of sight from Alyx's screen.

"Narko?" He called into the COM link. "Bring the buggy out. Put it on the dock right now. Gordon Freeman will be driving it!"

"_Will do." _The radio replied._ "I just finished mounting an ammo crate on the back."_ Leon chuckled.

"Good timing. Okay, Alyx, were all set."

Alyx breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, things were looking up.

"Thanks, Leon." She looked back at orange, armored clad man. "Gordon, I haven't driven the coast road in over a year, but I have no reason to think it's gotten any safer. Meet me in the depot were the trains unload." Her voice became tender. "Take care of yourself and I'll see you in Nova Prospekt. Bye for now."

Gordon nodded before disappearing behind heavy static. They exchanged nervous smiles before the screen turned black. Alyx ran her hands over her eyes. "I hope he'll be okay." She thought. Suddenly, the thought struck her. Why was she so worried about, Gordon? She had only met the man for mere minutes. Now, foreign to her understanding, Gordon was now in her mind constantly. She brushed the idea away, turning away from the screen. To her surprise, Scott was leaning against the doorframe, watching Alyx closely.

"Your bikes ready." He stated plainly. Alyx just nodded, walking past her former boyfriend. She started down the hall but Scott continued, not turning to talk face to face.

"So that was Gordon Freeman, huh?"

"Yep." Alyx didn't turn to answer the question.

"I've never seen you so excited over somebody before. Or so worried."

Alyx turned, sending a glare at his back. Scott turned himself, sending a look of his own.

"I guess we all can't be heroes." Scott stated, the sarcasm thick in his voice.

"No," Alyx shot back. "But we can at least try to be."

With that, she walked away, moving towards the garage.

---

"You sure you can manage her?" The garage manager smiled, glancing from Alyx to the motorcycle. The Bike itself was a behemoth of a vehicle. The tires were massive, gathering most of the weight. It was low to the ground and covered in armor. Not that the metal plating mattered, seeing that the driver would be completely exposed. However, it was fast, and surprisingly quiet. It was also Alyx's favorite mode of transportation.

She shot a grin at the manager, slipping onto the leather seat. After shoving the key into the ignition, the monster became alive. She revved the engine, sending a growl from the cycle. The manager nodded his appreciation.

"She's all yours."

"Well, she's a beauty. Thank you!" Alyx waved before gunning the acceleration out into the forest, towards the Combine quarry.

---

Alyx loved the wind billowing through her short hair as the bike hit top speed. She was traveling on the curvy 'Road 67' towards her enemy, letting the excitement of the ride to boost moral. To her amazement, to other Combine forces patrolled the road, making for a nice drive through the woods. After a few more miles, signs that she was getting closer became apparent. The trees became scarce and long stretches of white gravel dominated the surrounding nature.

Her bike climbed the last hill. She rose above the peak, able to spot the train station only a mile away. The bike came to a halt, allowing Alyx to push out the peg, leaning the vehicle onto the ground. She then dismounted and pushed a red button on the controls. Two black panels slowly slid out from the back of the Bike, revealing a Pulse Rifle and a M7 Sniper Rifle. She slipped the Sniper out of the panel and shouldered the rifle, pointing the scope towards the station.

Through the scope, Alyx could see the Train Station clearly. Long, black trains continually moved through the station, each one temporarily stopping only to gather various types of cargo. Three large warehouses full of supplies surrounded a tall control tower, overseeing the entire project. Tall guard towers pocketed the entire station, each one occupied by Combine Civil Patrolmen. Alyx couldn't help but smile at what she saw next: the entire station was only surrounded by a thin, metal fence.

"Piece of cake." Alyx muttered, amused by the simple security. After slipping the rifle back into the carrier, she straddled back onto the bike and ignited the engine. She then twisted the acceleration, sending the bike roaring down the hill towards her target.

---

_Didn't know that Alyx was a biker babe, did you:)_

_Okay, so the conversation between Gordon, Alyx and Leon is not exactly accurate to the game version. I had to tweak the dialogue a bit, so I apologize. Hopefully, it didn't affect the story . Please review!_


	5. Chapter 5

---

Atop a guard tower, near the middle of the train station, two Civil Patrolmen gazed across the grounds through their white masks. Both guards, number B-087 and K-198, were ordered to "keep watch" for a couple of hours, until the next shift came. They did what they were told, standing above the entire facility, eyes peeled for enemy contact.

K-198's eyes were focused on a different subject. The sun was now caressing the earth, slowly disappearing behind the horizon. Colors of orange, yellow and blue danced across the hemisphere. Stars started to wake in the sky, alert of the coming night. If K-198 had lips, he would have smiled at the beauty happening around him.

"It's going to be a cold night." He called out through his radio. B-087 turned slightly to his partner.

B-087, in a monotone voice, replied with a simple "yes". The guards nodded for a few seconds. A soft breeze glided past the pair, finding it's way into K-198's mask. With what nervous system he had left, he accepted the small gift as it tickled his 'face'. He breathed in the cold air, letting out a sigh of contentment.

B-087 turned to ask about the meaning behind his partners feeling when he spotted a blue laser resting on K-198 mask. Before he could react, K-198 head exploded into a bath of blood and tissue. One second later, the sound from Alyx's sniper rifle caught up with the bullet.

---

Alyx's lips curled into a smile, knowing that she had hit her mark. She focused on the second guard, easily dispatching him with a following shot from the rifle. A small pause followed, allowing the shooter to find out if the kills had alerted the base. No alarms or screams of any kind emitted from the base. Alyx rose from the rocky ground, moving out of the shadows and towards the approaching fence. She swiftly pulled out a pair of cutters from her belt and started snipping at the chain links, allowing entrance into the station. She crawled through; making sure the pulse rifle slung across her back wouldn't bump the fence.

She ducked behind crates and benches, making sure no Combine guards were snooping around. The base, besides the occasional train whistle, was strangely quiet. This should have been the first red flag in her mind.

After a few seconds of waiting, Alyx crossed a stretch of concrete out in the open, towards one of the large warehouses. She slammed into the house wall, using the shadows as cover. Now, something was bothering her. Besides the guards in the tower, there were no other security patrolling the area.

Second red flag.

Her mission, at the moment, was to find out when the next train heading for Nova Prospekt would arrive. She spotted a small office near the main tracks and made the short jog without opposition. Before entering, Alyx peeked through the black windows, making sure the place was empty. She slowly opened the door, creeping in between desks and computers. She took in her surroundings with one glance: basic square room, lots of desks and four long windows allowing a view of the entire station. What she also spotted was a Combine computer resting against a wall.

She quickly hacked into the system, finding the information almost instantly.

"Good," She thought. "The next train arrives in ten minutes. Now, all I have to . . ."

Suddenly, pulse fire erupted behind her, shattering the long windows. Instinctively, Alyx ducked to the ground, finding cover behind a desk. The suppressing fire harmlessly impacted above her head, but started to split the desk into pieces. She twisted to another desk, slipping out the pistol from her jacket. "Wouldn't want to waste the Pulse rifle." Her mind raced, " For now."

The deadly ammunition settled after a few seconds of continuous fire. Alyx took this opportunity to calculate the danger, quickly peeking over the desk. Outside, about fifty Combine Overwatch slowly advanced towards the small office, each one barking order's to their subordinates.

Alyx drew in a sharp breath as she spotted a lone soldier sprint towards the building, clutching a primed grenade. She acted swiftly, squeezing the trigger to her gun. Two lead slugs impacted the kamikaze in the chest, causing him to slip backwards and toss the explosive towards the windows. Unfortunately for Alyx, the grenade found its way into the room. In a panic, she jumped for the exit, her shoulder slamming into the wooden door. It caved in, allowing the escape outside. She rolled to her feet, the pulse rifle ready leveled in her arms.

She sprinted from the office, firing upon the first soldier while moving, almost tearing him in half with the deadly ammunition. Three seconds later, and the building behind her erupted, sending the foundation to the ground. The remaining Combine spotted their prey and fired. Alyx was lucky. She found cover before hundreds of glowing lasers impacted the ground.

Alyx quickly reloaded, shoving a fresh clip into both her rifle and the pistol. Her mind raced. She knew she was outnumbered drastically. The only thing standing between her and the train track were fifty highly trained and angry Combine soldiers. The only cover she found were large, flimsy cargo crates, which were slowly being picked apart by enemy fire. She poked her head around the corner of the crate, spotting one of the large warehouses.

"If I can only . . ."

Her train of thought was interrupted when the entire warehouse exploded, sending deadly shrapnel everywhere. Alyx screamed as large I-beams careened past her position, impacting into the gravel. Next came the heat wave, washing over Alyx's skin and causing major pain. She crawled up into a ball, hoping to protect herself from the blast. She sat in silence for a moment, letting small debris from the sky bounce off of her body.

"What was that?!" She uncurled and rose to her feet, gazing over the crate. Through the smoke, the one accountable for the blast slowly crawled through the mist. Alyx always though that Strider's were the Combine equivalent of a tank. She was wrong.

The Combine "Bull" was a four-legged nightmare. They reminded Alyx of a Combine "Dropship", except this walked on all fours, carrying a large canon underneath its belly. The outer shell consisted of black and green color, which shined, piercing the fog. It was slow, but powerful. Normally, these vehicles were used to blast their way into the ground, helping with the digging. But, on occasion, the Combine used these monsters to kill and destroy. It growled ominously through the dark as it crawled towards Alyx's position. The Combine soldiers slowly backed away, knowing the Bull would take care of their little "problem".

Alyx noticed that she was trembling.

"Oh, God no."

She panicked, leveling her pulse rifle at the advancing beast. She pulled the secondary trigger, sending out a energy ball. It impacted against the creature, sending out a shock wave of energy. The Bull stumbled, letting out a low moan. To Alyx's amazement and terror, the creature righted itself, quickly balancing on all legs. Out of fury, the Bull sprayed pulse fire from a secondary gun, connected to it's apparent face.

Alyx quickly dodged the incoming fire, jumping behind a fallen I-Beam. The crate splintered into small pieces as the Bull tore through Alyx's previous cover. The gravel she was laying on started to jump, indicating the Bull was walking closer. Alyx gripped her rifle tighter, knowing that it was hopeless to fight the behemoth with simple weapons.

The Bull charged up it's main canon, ready to send a massive blow at the young rebel.

---

_Gasp! I made a new Combine vehicle! That can't be good. :) Remember the Combine dropships? How they looked like flying fat crabs? Well, that's basically what the Bull looks like: a Dropship that crawls. Nothing special. It's just that I always thought the Strider's were a skinny looking tank for the Combine, so I decided to make a new one. So sue me. :D_

_The first few paragraphs were an attempt at dark humor, just to mix up the relentless action and drama. No excuse. _


	6. Chapter 6

---

Alyx felt her teeth grind together as she anticipated the killing blow from her foe. The Combine "Bull" lumbered towards her hiding place, charging up it's devastating canon. The blast would tear Alyx apart.

Suddenly, a lone red dot shone on the Bull's left leg. Two more appeared, dancing across the main body of the monster. The creature noticed the strange lights and tilted it's small "head" to the side quizzically.

Three rockets screamed overtop Alyx's head, impacting against the massive cyborg. The Bull reeled back, uttering a guttural moan. Two more RPG's impacted a few seconds later, causing the creature to slam into the gravel with one last groan. To Alyx's shock, the Bull was dead.

The surrounding Combine Overwatch watched as their armor support was blasted into pieces. In fury, they fired upon Alyx, who quickly ducked behind her metal I-Beam. Three thin, blue lasers appeared from nowhere, picking out random Combine soldiers. Rebel sniper fire then rained down on the helpless enemy troops. One C.P. tried to rush Alyx's position, but felt a bullet pierce through his heart.

A explosion rocked the entire station. Alyx turned to watch the chain link fence fall to the ground in flames. Out from the smoke, Scott Greenwall, followed by ten other rebel soldiers, rushed into the battleground, guns a' blazing. The surprised Combine, confused at first, fired clumsily at the advancing resistance. The rebels easily found cover, firing upon the exposed Overwatch.

Scott made a beeline towards Alyx, firing his Sub Machine gun while approaching. He skidded next to his former lady friend, quickly reloading his gun. Alyx sat in shock, staring at her new comrade. He caught her gaze.

"So what's the situation?" He asked, as if greeting an old friend. Alyx felt her lips curl into a smile.

"Well," She shouted over the surrounding explosions and gunfire. "My train arrives any minute now. I just need you and your team to cover me while I board it."

Scott nodded, clacking the bolt into place on his gun and firing on the retreating Combine.

"I have ten guys here and snipers positioned outside the base." He called out, pointing at the surrounding perimeter. "Once this train comes, I'll get you to it."

Alyx's face still held the dumbfounded look.

"What?"

"Why did you come?" Alyx shouted. The question was answered with a chuckle.

"I'm just trying to be a hero." He shot a smile in her direction, which was replied with a similar grin.

A low train whistle rang out above the ensuing fight. Alyx peeked over her cover. It was dark, but she could see the train's front light about half a mile out. _"Here we go."_

---

Sniper team Alpha, consisting of Troy, holding the rifle, and Bob, the spotter, looked over the base, some mile away from their position. Troy moved his rifle slightly, spotting a Combine soldier hiding behind an abandoned train car. He squeezed the trigger, killing the guard instantly. He then felt Bob tap his shoulder.

"What?"

"Train on approach." Bob pointed towards the horizon at the long black train moving fast towards the station. Troy nodded and resumed looking through his scope. After picking off a few more kills, something caught his eye. Through the darkness, he could see movement . . . all over the quarry. He enhanced the image in his scope, allowing for a little bit more night-vision. Troy gasped.

The entire rock quarry was crawling with more Combine, each one making their way towards the train station. Hundreds of enemy soldiers were jogging towards the small rebel group caught inside the small train encampment. Troy could spot a few more Combine Bull's moving slowly with the mass. The rebels inside the base would be overrun.

He clicked the earpiece embedded in his lobe.

---

Scott activated the small radio in his ear.

"What?" He screamed, sending a few rounds from his machine gun.

_"Sir, you have Combine reinforcements moving towards your position! They have armor!"_

Scott cursed under his breath. They would have to pull out A.S.A.P., knowing if they stayed, it would be a massacre. He looked up, spotting the train finally pulling into the station with a groan, some twenty feet away from the safety of their cover. Alyx bumped his shoulder, signaling she was ready. He nodded.

They sprinted, moving in a zigzag to avoid the Combine ammunition. Alyx jumped as a dead rebel fell at her feet. Scott nearly stumbled on the loose ground, but rolled to his feet, shooting at a nearby enemy soldier. The pair quickly covered the distance, finding refuge in the thick steam ejecting from the large, black train. Scott jammed another clip into his gun, covering Alyx's six. His female partner moved down the train, trying to find an empty car.

Alyx singled out a train car, quickly using her E.M.P. devise to cut the security lock. The door slid open on its own, revealing a dark, empty room. She climbed in with ease, turning back to her companion.

"Scott . . ." She thought for a moment. "Thank you."

He smiled and gave a small bow. "Always a pleasure." He gave a small wave as the door slid shut. Alyx could hear the intense battle outside through the small openings in the car. The noises slowly faded as the train moved away from the station. Within the darkness of the cramped room, Alyx silently prayed that her rescuers would be safe.

---

It took the train two hours to reach it's destination, but Alyx was thankful for the time to think. She felt the train slowly pulling it's acceleration down, finally coming to a complete stop. A groan escaped her lips as she rose from the cold floor, relieving the pistol from her shoulder holster. She wanted to be ready for whatever lay behind the door.

It slid open, revealing a small concrete outcrop escaping black metal. Alyx cautiously moved from the car, keeping her gun ready. A small breath escaped from her lips. The entire area was engulfed in tall black steel stretching into the sky. Nova Prospekt held a small tower in the center, which slowly expanded, engulfing the former prison with it's claws. Alyx didn't want to think of the horrors that took place within the walls of this hell.

Alyx realized she was deep within the prison, somewhere near the center. The train tracks lay behind her and she was standing on some sort of "waiting platform", which held three possible entry points. Near the right, the small outcrop sported a single Combine computer. Alyx took that as her first objective. After making sure no hostiles were around, she approached the mainframe. She quickly hacked into the system, trying to find a map of the area.

Alyx could hear a Combine radio, drawing close behind her. She quickly turned, trying to spot the enemy. The noise was coming from an opposite hallway. Alyx hid behind the corner, ready to strike at the guard.

Unaware of the new arrival, the guard moved onto the train platform. Alyx swung her hand into his throat. The Overwatch dropped his gun, clutching at his crushed jugular. After a few seconds of suffocation, he dropped to his knees. With one swift motion, Alyx slammed her knee into her opponents face, causing the guard to fall down a small crack in the ground. The attacker hadn't noticed the line of slits in the ground, leading to an underground hallway. She knelt down, peering her head through the small hole.

She jumped as Gordon Freeman suddenly appeared inside the small hallway, smiling. After catching her breath, she smiled as well.

"Gordon, you made it!"

The silent man simply nodded. Alyx could never guess why Gordon was mute most of the time, but let the subject pass, knowing his knack for few words was for good reason.

"Boy am I glad to see you." She rose to her feet, looking around for a place to join Gordon. Farther down the outcrop, she spotted a small drop-off.

"We better hurry," She spoke, pointing towards the other end of the hallway. Gordon understood and jogged down the corridor. Alyx moved towards the end of the outcrop, finding Gordon just below, waiting. She jumped over the railing, freefalling to the ground. With a small "umph" as she hit the ground, Alyx accomplished her secondary mission: meet up with Gordon.

"Glad you made it her in one piece." She joked; spotting numerous dings and dents in Gordon's orange armor. All joking was put aside when Alyx directed her eyes towards the Combine tower.

"My Dads somewhere up there, in that holding area." She softly informed, pointing towards the menacing skyscraper. Her fingers found her cube necklace as she nervously played with the trinket. "It's going to take some doing to get him out." After a moment of silence, Alyx decided to suck up the challenge. She spotted a locked door.

"Let's get out of here."

After slipping the E.M.P. devise from her belt again, Alyx fried the locking mechanism to the door. She sighed. With Gordon by her side, this mission was starting to look achievable. Determination found it's way into her being as the door slid apart.

She had gotten this far to Nova Prospekt. And she wasn't about to quit now.

---

_-whew- I have to admit, this story was tough! Somehow, this is probably the hardest fiction I have done. Don't ask me why, because I don't know. It was just hard. But I hope you enjoyed it! More stories are on the way! _


End file.
